Evaluation of Cage Designs and Feeding Regimes for Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Laboratory Experiments
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Dosyalar
Tarih
2014
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
Oxford Univ Press Inc
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
The aim of this study was to improve cage systems for maintaining adult honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) workers under in vitro laboratory conditions. To achieve this goal, we experimentally evaluated the impact of different cages, developed by scientists of the international research network COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes), on the physiology and survival of honey bees. We identified three cages that promoted good survival of honey bees. The bees from cages that exhibited greater survival had relatively lower titers of deformed wing virus, suggesting that deformed wing virus is a significant marker reflecting stress level and health status of the host. We also determined that a leak- and drip-proof feeder was an integral part of a cage system and a feeder modified from a 20-ml plastic syringe displayed the best result in providing steady food supply to bees. Finally, we also demonstrated that the addition of protein to the bees' diet could significantly increase the level of vitellogenin gene expression and improve bees' survival. This international collaborative study represents a critical step toward improvement of cage designs and feeding regimes for honey bee laboratory experiments.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Apis mellifera, cage, laboratory testing, COLOSS, honey bee
Kaynak
Journal of Economic Entomology
WoS Q Değeri
Q2
Scopus Q Değeri
Q1
Cilt
107
Sayı
1
